Since then, we’ve been absolutely inseparable. We study together, we eat lunch together, and we even finish each other’s sentences sometimes. It’s funny, because so many people think we’re sisters. Maybe it’s the way we laugh at the same jokes or how we always walk side by side in the hallways. We always smile and say, “No, we’re just cousins!”—even though we’re not related at all. It’s our little joke, and honestly, it kind of feels true.

Having Laura as my desk mate has made school so much more fun. We help each other out when things get tough, and we celebrate even the smallest victories together. I don’t know what I’d do without her. It’s rare to find a friendship that lasts this long and stays this strong, especially through all the changes that happen from 5th grade to 10th.

So yeah, maybe we’re not actually cousins or sisters. But in our hearts, we’re definitely family.

Laura’s Side: Not Just a Friend. My Other Half

I still remember the day I transferred to my new school in 5th grade. I was nervous and didn’t know anyone. But then I met Sarah. She was the first person who talked to me, and from that moment on, everything changed.

We were seated at the same desk, and honestly, I couldn’t have gotten luckier. Sarah made me feel welcome right away. We clicked so fast, like we’d known each other forever. Since then, we’ve been through everything together — school projects, crazy class moments, good days and bad ones. She’s been by my side through it all.

People always ask if we’re sisters because we’re always together. We laugh the same way, finish each other’s sentences, and just kind of get each other. We always say, “No, we’re cousins!” even

though we’re not. But honestly, it doesn’t matter. Sarah is more than a friend she’s family to me.

I feel so lucky to have her. Sitting next to her every day makes school so much better. She understands me in ways no one else does, and I can always count on her. Some people come and go, but Sarah has been a constant since 5th grade. That’s something really special.

So if anyone asks again : no, we’re not really cousins. But in every way that counts, we are.

The benefits of volunteering

Volunteering gives young people the opportunity to develop important skills such as organization, communication, and teamwork. At the same time, it teaches them what responsibility means and helps them step outside their comfort zone. The experiences they have with their peers and the beneficiaries of the projects cannot be replaced by any grade in their school catalog.

A volunteer shares:

– I discovered that true satisfaction does not come from personal achievements, but from the joy you see in the eyes of the children you help. Their smiles are worth more than any prize.

Life lessons from CampioMATE

A concrete example is CampioMATE, the national team mathematics championship, where students passionate about science meet high school volunteers. They support and encourage them and become, for a period of time, true mentors.

– CampioMATE was the highlight of my school year. I learned to grow alongside children who welcomed me into their world and showed me that mathematics can be experienced with enthusiasm and friendship, says a high school student involved in the project.

Such experiences help young people discover their potential and understand that the impossible becomes possible when you work with passionate people.

A united community

Volunteering is not just about work but also about lifelong friendships. Many high school students say that through volunteering, they have found a "family" with the same values and the same desire to do good. Volunteer teams encourage solidarity, mutual support, and the desire to keep going even when difficulties arise.This community makes high school students feel part of something bigger than themselves, a group where everyone has an important role and every contribution counts.

Volunteering, a choice for the future

This year, CampioMATE is back with a new edition, and volunteers are getting ready to invest their energy and passion once again. They know that this experience will bring them not only beautiful memories, but also lessons that will stay with them for life. For high school students, volunteering is a step towards maturity. It is courage, passion, and responsibility. It is proof that high school years are not just about grades and exams but also about experiences that shape us as human beings.

 

Last year, the Hollow Knight community waited for YEARS for a new game to come out. Thankfully, unlike other developers, Team Cherry delivers for their supporters. Hollow Knight: Silksong got released on the Steam market, immediately making it to the front page. A game, you could say, twice as good as the original. The art, the story, the difficulty levels - everything is perfection.

If you haven't seen any gameplay or played Hollow Knight, depending on your taste in games, you're missing out. A2D parkour, boss fights, secrets, amazing lore - everything you could dream of. Silksong is mostly an aftermath of the original game, which takes place in a different location than the first. Even though they're related stories - and gameplay-wise, you aren't required to play the first game to be able to understand what's going on in Silksong - but it is recommended to do so to get used to controls, abilities, fighting mechanics, etc. Silksong has its own separate lore, much deeper than the original game, as our protagonist, unlike the first game, can actually talk to other creatures as well, instead of only listening to them.

The protagonist of Silksong is Hornet. If you aren't aware with the story line from the first game, she's somewhat related to the Knight we play as in Hollow Knight and we meet her in the main game too as a mini boss fight. Hornet, is a polite but stern, reserved but not cold, spider that the top-notch writing we encounter during the playthrough, let's you get to know about her. She's an amazing hero, taken unwillingly to the Pharloom land, and with her sociable skills she quickly finds out her purpose in it. She helps multiple other characters with their quests, needs, objectives and neutralizes anything hostile.

Pharloom, the new area the story takes place, is a fascinating area, full of secret areas that, of course, knowing Team Cherry, have other secrets in them. This dying land where hopeful bugs go on pilgrimage its lower levels all the way up to the shining peak of a spectacular cog work city called The Citadel in blind service of their faith - most bugs don't make it through to The Citadel as they are judged by The Last Judge at the entrance (one of the many boss fights we encounter).

Just like Hollow Knight, Silksong needs patience and skill that improves over time. It's not a hard game, but a challenging game because it doesn’t just punch you in the face and reject you for the sake of being hard. It challenges you to overcome obstacles that routinely feel insurmountable at first but are finely tuned to be conquered as your skill, knowledge, and toolset of earned abilities improves. Perhaps an extreme example of this is an area like Bilewater, which has very few respawn benches to rest at and includes some of the most punishing poison water I’ve seen in any game, forcing you to cleanse yourself after falling in it by wasting your precious healing ability while also draining the resource that fuels that ability which is INSANELY infuriating. I thought this area was unreasonably difficult to navigate when I first tried to force my way through it but then I took a break, explored elsewhere, and returned hours later with new combat options, items to help mitigate that poison, and a better game plan that made it much easier.

The new Tool system that fits into these Crests is impressively flexible in a way I really liked. Alongside equipable abilities that consume Silk when used, the Tools themselves are divided into three distinct color categories. Red Tools grant extra offensive options with limited ammo, like throwing knives or aerial spike traps; blue Tools tend to focus on defense, offering perks such as increased Silk capacity or resistance to fire; and yellow Tools provide broader utility, like automatically collecting dropped currency or showing Hornet’s position on the map. This separation feels like a clear upgrade over Hollow Knight's single-slot system, since support perks and combat enhancements no longer compete for the same space. Because of that, I found myself switching Tools more often depending on the situation, whether exploring or facing a boss.

Each Crest also comes with its own distribution of these colored slots, which opens up room for creative and unconventional builds. You can experiment by combining certain abilities or ignoring ones that don’t suit your playstyle. For instance, since I preferred saving Silk for healing instead of special moves, the Architect Crest which replaces a Silk slot with an extra red Tool slot ended up working really well for me for a while. Still, I do wish the different "weapon" styles weren’t permanently linked to each Crest’s Tool layout and passive traits. I would have gladly kept using the Architect for its Tool versatility and its ability to convert Silk into ammo away from benches, but its more rigid, drill-like attack style (while interesting) eventually pushed me back to the Reaper.

Hollow Knight: Silksong did not only meet my already high expectations but completely exceeded them in the best way possible, building on a game that I already loved and making it faster and more exhilarating than ever. While some quests and the somewhat unusual ending may have some minor issues, they are in no way enough to detract from the overall experience, which is simply incredible. Team Cherry has absolutely hit the mark with the balance between the precision of the 2D platforming, the exploration of the beautiful and unpredictable world, and the intense and heart-pounding combat with some of the best boss battles in the series.

  It's not an enormous restaurant, but it is very clean and modern on the inside. When I went, at about noon, it was not busy at all, but it was quiet and cozy. The sitting area is large, the chairs are very comfortable, and there is a bar too. Service is quick, and they have a wide selection of coffee on their menus, but, unfortunately, few desserts.

      I ordered a popcorn frappe, and it was absolutely delicious! It came with a lot of whipped cream, and I could really taste the strong, bitter flavour of coffee balanced perfectly with sweet, buttery popcorn. I also tasted their Viennese coffee (which consists of espresso with a large amount of whipped cream) and was satisfied with it. 

       The only issue I did have with the frappe is that the syrup could have been mixed better. Otherwise, it was completely worth it, even though the price wasn't small! At around 22 lei for the more extravagant drinks, it's definitely one of the most expensive places to get coffee. 

        While I did fully enjoy it, it's not the sort of place I would get coffee every single day because of the price. However, if you are looking to treat yourself and want coffee to stay, then this is a great place to visit! What I enjoyed the most is that, unlike with other frappes, this one really had a strong taste of coffee.

       To sum up, the frappe I had here was the best in town, but the price is also high. I recommend "Wonderful" if you're looking for a high-quality coffee or just a high-quality restaurant.

Steam is the most recognizable name in the world of PC gaming, and it’s easy to see why. The platform, created by Valve, has earned its reputation on the sheer volume of games it offers, its community features, and its incredible sales. From AAA titles to indie darlings, Steam is the one-stop shop for every gamer out there. Be you a hard-core gamer who loves fast-paced shooters, or someone who enjoys strategy games, adventure games, or weird indie titles, Steam has something for you.

One of the biggest advantages Steam has over its competitors is its sales. The Steam Summer or Winter Sales, for instance, have become the stuff of legend for gamers around the world. It’s hard to resist the allure of such low prices, and it’s likely you’ll leave the sale with more games than you intended to buy. But Steam’s advantages don’t stop there. The review system Steam has implemented for its games is also one of the biggest advantages the platform has. It’s invaluable to be able to read the opinions of other players who have also spent their hard-earned cash on the game you’re thinking of buying. It’s also worth noting the community features Steam offers, such as the Steam Workshop, where players can find mods for their favorite games, or the Steam Community, where you can find game guides created by the community.

The only real negative side to Steam’s otherwise excellent interface is the fact that it can be a bit overwhelming for new users. The Steam Store page, for instance, tends to be cluttered with recommendations, early access games, and sales, but this can be forgiven for the excellent features Steam does offer, such as the wishlist, the recommendations, or the money-back guarantee.

Steam, however, isn’t without its cons. The customer support, for instance, has been hit-or-miss over the years, but this doesn’t detract from the fact that Steam is the platform of choice for PC gamers the world over.

Steam has undoubtedly become an essential part of the PC gaming experience.

The cartoons we watched when we were little or the ones we watch now have always been based on friendship, family, or well-being. Avatar: The Last Airbender debates these themes, not in a goofy and funny way, but in a deep one. If you had seen it when you were little, you would have thought it was just a funny cartoon about the adventures of a group of friends, but once you watch it as a teenager or an adult, you will notice all the messages it intends to give to the audience. 

MAIN CHARACTERS

The story begins with two siblings born in the Southern Water Tribe, Katara and Sokka. Katara is the only waterbender in the Southern Tribe, and for that reason, she is marginalized by everyone. 

One day the two siblings went for fish hunting when suddenly they found a big ice ball stuck in a snow mountain. Katara's rage broke the ice, and from there came out a boy, Aang. Aang was weirdly dressed and had an unusual aspect. Aang introduces himself as a monk from the Southern Air Temple. Katara and Sokka did not believe him because the Southern Air Temple was destroyed 100 years ago by the Fire Lord Sozin. Their shock was overcome when Appa, the flying bison and Aang's best friend who was also frozen, appeared. Aang was taken to the Southern Water Tribe to be seen by Gran-Gran, the leader of the tribe and grandmother of the two teens.

After a complete examination of the mysterious boy, everyone came to the conclusion that Aang was actually kept in that glacier throughout the war, more precisely for 100 years.

AVATAR WORLD UNFOLDED

In this world there are four distinct populations: the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom, the Air Nomads, and the Water Tribe. Here people can be born with powers, such as air, fire, water, and earth bending. The Avatar is a supernatural being who is born into a different nation each time. He is capable of mastering all four elements and is meant to maintain the balance of the world. Fire Lord Sozin was best friends with the former Fire Avatar, Roku. After Roku's death it was known that the new Avatar would be born among the air nomads. That summer a comet was to arrive and, for a short period, would grant firebenders unimaginable powers. Sozin used this comet, which was later called Sozin's Comet, to kill all the air nomads in the hope of killing the next Avatar and started a war against all nations to gain the greatest power. 

Ironically, on the same day they were going to be attacked, Aang found out he was the new Avatar. Stressed and angry, Aang left home with his flying bison, Appa, and due to a torrential rain, he was submerged in water, where he used the "Avatar State" to create a shield to keep him and Appa alive. After 100 years of being stuck, Aang now finds himself with the obligation to restore peace to the world.

Since the war began, the Fire Nation had managed to conquer almost the entire world except for the Northern Water Tribe, which was hidden by ice, and the capital of the Earth Kingdom, Ba Sing Se.

STRUCTURAL PROSPECTS

The story is divided into three books: book one, called the book of water; book two, called the book of earth; and book three, called the book of fire.

BOOK ONE

Features Aang's encounter with the Southern Water Tribe. The travel to the Northern Water Tribe to find a teacher to help Katara and Aang with waterbending, and the hunting of the three by Zuko, the prince of the Fire Nation who was exiled by his father and forced to return home only with the Avatar.

BOOK TWO

In this part, the three arrive in the Earth Kingdom, where they gather a new member for the Avatar team. Toph Beifong is a blind girl from a wealthy family who runs away from home with the Avatar team to live her dream of being the best earthbender alive. 

Throughout the second book, they go through numerous adventures and expeditions where they finally manage to reach Earth's Kingdom capital, Ba Sing Se, the only place that did not end up under the Fire Nation's domination. There they have a new battle with Zuko, who is joined by his evil sister Azula, heir to the Fire Nation throne.

BOOK THREE

Book two ends with the Avatar being defeated by Azula, but not forever. Everyone knows that Aang was killed by the Fire Princess, but the truth is that he was saved by Katara through her waterbending powers. Their mission in the third book is to stop Ozai, the Fire Lord and Zuko and Azula's father, from reaching full power during Sozin's Comet, which is about to come again and give firebenders maximum power. After realizing that no one in the Fire Nation appreciates him except his uncle Iroh, who has always been close to him, Zuko has the greatest character development known; he changes drastically and wants to join Team Avatar full of good intentions. 

The story ends with the success of Team Avatar at this point, consisting of Toph, Sokka, Katara, Zuko, and Aang, who destroy Azula mentally, not physically, and take all of Ozai's powers, restoring world peace and returning the territories to their rightful owners.

BEST CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT OF ALL TIME

The story has an extremely complex structure not only because of the action, images, cinematography, etc. All the characters who take part in the action are very well outlined with some extremely representative emotions, and with human traits very well presented to the audience. 

Although he is not the main character, most appreciated by the audience, in terms of behaviour, is Zuko. The boy, whose sister was born lucky, was always considered a failure. 

At first, after being exiled by his father for disobedience, he was forced to return home only when he captured the Avatar. This task was tricky and false because it was known at that moment that the avatar was dead. Exiled at 13 years old, Zuko wanted his father's approval and love that only his sister got, even if that meant searching forever. Even though he never had paternal love, his uncle Iroh was always there for him with good advice. 

Iroh is also an excellent example of character development. From a ferocious general who destroyed hundreds of cities and was nicknamed the "Dragon of the West" to an old man who loved quality teas. He changed into a good man after his son passed away in war. Because of his trauma, the love that he once gave his son was now only for Zuko. The trauma of this invincible duo was the main reason that helped them change. 

At this point Iroh was already changed into a better man. He just had to use his wisdom to bring Zuko back on the right path. The failure to accept that his family is broken and worthless slowed Zuko down in achieving his ideals, but once he noticed that blood doesn't make a family, he was capable of significant changes and achieving a new, true family. 

I think that Avatar: The Last Airbender is the best animation I've seen, and I am convinced that it will not be dethroned by anything. It has a special place in my heart. Ever since I was little, I have loved the complexity of the plot. Now, being a teenager and rewatching it again, I have truly realized how deep everything is, from the complexity of each character to the action that is, most certainly, not understandable to a small child. It is difficult to find a match for this story.

I'm challenging you to reflect on Uncle Iroh's quotes.

"When you're in your darkest place, you give yourself hope, and that's inner strength."

"It's time for you to look inward and start asking yourself the big questions. Who are you? And what do you want?"

"It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If you take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole."

And my favourite one: 

"Protection and power are overrated. I think you are very wise to choose happiness and love."

Monika Bubholz, Miljöpartiet Karlstad

Om personen: Monika är lokalpolitiker för Miljöpartiet i Karlstad. I denna intervju berättar hon om hur det är att företräda det parti som statistiskt sett är mest utsatt för hat, hur hon strategiskt väljer när hon ska publicera saker på sociala medier och varför verkligheten i Karlstad är betydligt trevligare än internet.

Hur ofta upplever du hat och hot i din roll som miljöpartist och politiker?

– Miljöpartiet är ju det mest utsatta partiet, och framför allt kvinnor och utlandsfödda unga. Jag var jättenervös när jag blev politiker och tänkte: ”Shit, hur ska det gå?”. Men jag har faktiskt inte upplevt så särskilt mycket än, så jag har blivit positivt förvånad. Det står grejer i sociala medier, men det är mindre än jag trodde. Det beror också på vilka ämnen man jobbar med.

Det folk skriver... om det blir hat och hot, påverkar det ämnena du tar upp? Håller du fast vid det eller ändrar du dig?

– Jag lägger inte ut saker om det är fredagkväll och folk sitter och dricker alkohol hemma i soffan, för då blir det jobbigt oavsett. Man är en annan person då. Vissa ämnen väljer jag att inte skriva om för att jag vet att det drar igång saker. Men jag har mest ansvarat för ”hårda” frågor som gator, parker och sophämtning – då är det inte lika mycket som om man jobbar med till exempel flyktingfrågor.

När det väl händer, hur hanterar ni det inom partiet? Är det arbetslaget som sköter det eller är det personligt?

– Om det är allvarligt så pratar vi med varandra så att man får stöd. Vi hade till exempel en tjej från Syrien som var jätteduktig men blev väldigt utsatt; då hjälpte vi henne med stöd och polisanmälan.”

Är det ofta ni behöver koppla in polisen?

– Vi har fått instruktioner att göra det mer. Jag har varit med så länge att jag kanske är lite hårdhudad, men vi ska anmäla allt och ta skärmdumpar. Inför förra valet bad vi även kommunen om hjälp vid ett tillfälle. Vi har rutiner både lokalt i Karlstad och centralt.

Vad är det värsta du själv upplevt personligen?

– Jag vet inte... Ingen har hotat att komma hem till mig eller mina barn. Det är mer att folk ifrågasätter hur jag lever. I början funderade jag på att försöka dölja min adress på nätet, men man kan inte gå och tänka på det hela tiden.”

Hur hanterar du det mentalt och praktiskt?

– Mentalt går jag aldrig in på sociala medier på kvällar eller helger. Jag kollar bara när jag är pigg och har folk omkring mig. Om man kollar sent på kvällen kan man inte sova och det förstör hela helgen.

Har din bild av samhället förändrats i den här rollen?

– Ja, man lär sig jättemycket och det är så kul att vara politiker. Men det är en helt annan värld på nätet än i verkligheten. På nätet är vi väldigt motarbetade, men när man möter Karlstadsbor ute på stan är det en helt annan stämning. Det är mycket trevligare i verkligheten.

Så i din roll känner du dig ändå trygg i allmänhet?

– Jag känner mig väldigt trygg. Det är oftast inte personliga attacker mot mig, utan mot partiet.

Jesper Lindfors, journalist på NWT

Jesper arbetar som journalist på Nya Wermlands-Tidningen. Han ger ett perspektiv på hur hatet mot media ser ut, hur journalister kan drabbas av omedveten självcensur för att slippa stormar i kommentarsfälten, och hur redaktionen arbetar som ett team för att skydda sina anställda.

Hur ofta upplever du hat och hot i din roll som journalist?

– Personligen ganska sällan. Det beror mycket på vad man bevakar. Skriver man om sport eller kultur är det ovanligt, men vid politik eller granskningar ökar risken markant. Jag har varit förskonad personligen, men märker det via kollegor.”

Påverkar det vad du väljer att skriva om? Blir det en form av självcensur?

– Man vill säga nej, men undermedvetet drar man sig kanske för ämnen som man vet "tänder till" i kommentarsfälten. Men vi har bra stöd på NWT för att vi inte ska behöva backa från viktiga ämnen.

Hur ser era rutiner ut om någon blir utsatt?

– Vi har en säkerhetsorganisation. Vi dokumenterar, polisanmäler vid behov och ser till att personen får prata ut. Man sitter aldrig ensam med det.

Vad är det värsta du hört talas om på redaktionen?

– När det blir personligt eller riktas mot någons familj.

Hur hanterar du det mentalt?

– Man lär sig, men det är svårt. En strategi är att ha "off-tid" och inte läsa sociala medier sent på kvällen.

Tycker du att klimatet har blivit hårdare?

– Ja, tonen är mer polariserad, särskilt i kommentarsfält. Det är lättare att vara elak bakom en skärm än öga mot öga. Men hatarna är en liten, högljudd minoritet.

Rickard Wallin & Malin Abrahamsson, Färjestad BK

Rickard Wallin är sportdirektör och Malin Abrahamsson är kommunikationsledare för Färjestad BK. Här samtalar de om hur idrottens starka känslor ibland går överstyr, hur kritiken har flyttat från fikarummet till det offentliga nätet, och deras gemensamma arbete för en trygg arena.

Hur ofta upplever ni hat och hot i era roller?

Rickard: – Vi har varit förskonade från direkta hot, men hatet finns i sociala medier. Det är en stor del av sportvärlden idag. Det handlar mest om kommentarer på nätet snarare än möten öga mot öga. Det är en del av känslorna kring hockeyn.

Påverkar det hur ni jobbar eller kommunicerar utåt?

– Man blir mer medveten om hur saker tolkas. Vi försöker vara extra tydliga för att inte ge bränsle åt spekulationer.

Hur hanterar ni det när det väl händer något?

Rickard: – Vi har dialog med säkerhetsansvarig och polisanmäler alltid om gränsen passeras. Vi måste visa att det inte är acceptabelt. Vi stöttar varandra internt. Om en spelare eller ledare blir utsatt pratar vi om det direkt.

Känner ni er trygga i era roller i stan eller arenan?

Rickard: – Ja, väldigt trygg. Karlstad är en hockeystad och de flesta möten är positiva.

Malin: – De flesta är här för att de älskar laget. Det är bara få som går över gränsen.

Har klimatet förändrats och blivit tuffare?

Rickard:– Digitaliseringen gör att det går snabbt. Förr stannade kritiken vid kaffebordet, nu ligger den ute för alla direkt. Det skapar en annan press.

Malin: – Det är lättare att vara anonym på nätet, folk skriver saker de aldrig skulle säga personligen.

Vad gör ni för att motverka detta i framtiden?

Rickard: – Vi jobbar mycket med värdegrund i alla våra lag (herr, dam, ungdom). Det handlar om respekt.

Malin: – Vi vill att arenan ska vara en trygg plats för alla – spelare, anställda och supportrar.

Hat och hot är inte bara ett personligt problem för journalisten eller politikern eller idrottaren. Det är ett direkt angrepp på vår demokrati och vårt öppna samhälle. När självcensur blir en strategi för att överleva förlorar vi alla viktiga röster. Men som vi har hört från mediehus och idrottsklubbar och partier finns det vägar framåt. Det handlar om att aldrig stå ensam och att polisanmäla varje övertramp. Att sätta ner foten mot hatet på nätet är inte bara de folkvaldas ansvar. Det är ett ansvar vi alla delar varje gång vi skriver en kommentar eller ser ett påhopp.